wolford



R. E. WOLFORD 2,563,507

DENTAL APPLIANCE Aug. 7, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 20, 1947Ihmentor EB RUTH EQWOLFORD M Glkomeg Aug. 7, 1951 R. E. WOLFORD DENTALAPPLIANCE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fil ed June 20, 1947 Emcentor RUTH E. WOLFORDCmo rneg Aug. 7, 1951 R. E. WOLFORD 2,563,507

DENTAL. APPLIANCE 7 Filed June 20, 1947 a Sheets-Sheet 5 E RUTHE.wou=on0 (Iltorncg Patented Aug. 7, 1951 UNITED STTATES PATENT OFFICEDENTAL APPLIANCE Ruth E. Wolford, Presser, Wash.

Application June 20, 1947, Serial No. 755,884

Claims. 1

The present invention relates to improvements in a dental appliance.

One of the problems in the making ofdentures lies in getting the properfacial contour when the artificial dentures are used. One of the majordifficulties lies in the fact that at present,

to my knowledge, there is no means whereby a dentist may so position thejaws of the patient as to give the natural appearance before forming theplates and then reproduce the position of the jaws later inmaking theimpressions for the plates. Various measuring devices have been proposedbut do not appear to have received any particular acceptance intheprofession.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide a device of this characterwhich may be placed on the face of the patient after the jaws have beenspread to give the natural facial appearance and retained there untilthe actual impressions from which the plates are made have been taken,allowin the mouth of the patient to be opened and closed as many timesas may be necessary without disturbing the original setting of theappliance.

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide a dental appliance ofthe character above referred to which serves to establish fixedmeasuring points for the relative position of the lower jaw in orderthat the lower jaw may be repeatedly closed to a definite position andlikewise positioned laterally in an accurate fashion. the wholeappliance being of such nature as to permi't ready access to the mouthfor the insertion of whatever instrumentaliti'es the dentist may have touse.

The novel features that I consider characteristic of my invention areset forth with particularity in the claims. The invention itself,however, both as to its organization audits method of operation,together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will beunderstood from the description of a specific embodiment when read inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an appliance embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the appliance illustrating the manner inwhich it fits the human face;

Figure 3 is a front view of the appliance;

Figure 4 is an elongated fragmentary side view of a portion of theappliance;

Figure 5 is a side view, partly in section, of the adjustable pad forlateral positioning of the appliance and its mounting;

Figure 6 is .a view in side elevation of the mouth pad which is adaptedto be used for originally obtaining the proper spread of the jaws togive a natural facial expression;

Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating the mouth pad;

Figure 8 is a perspective view'of a short pad for partial denture work;and

Figure 9 is a sectional view on the line 9-9 of Figure 8 with the padshells closed.

Referring now to the drawings, my invention in its preferred formembodies a pair of clamping pads Ill and H preferably constructed of aresilient material with a padded inner surface and shaped to engage thecheek bones of an individual at about the level of the eyes. The surfaceof the pad is sufficiently great to support the appliance withoutexertin painful pressure on the face. The pads 10 and II are connectedtogether by strap portions [2 and I3 that extend across the face beneaththe nose. The strap portions i2 and I3 telescope with each other and areadjustable by means of the slot 1 4 and an adjusting screw IS.

The pads iii and H also have bars l6 and I1 depending therefrom. The barI6 is secured by two branch strips I8 and H] to the pad l0. Similarbranch strips 29 and 2 secure the bar IT to the pad H. The bars l8 and Hare alike except for being right and left hand members, each barbranches to provide one leg 22 extending straight downward and anotherleg 23 extend ing downward and forwardly. A sleeve 24 telescopes withthe leg 22 and may be secured thereon at any desired position by a setscrew 25. A. similar sleeve 25 telescopes on the leg 23 and is securedby a set screw 21. The lower ends of both the sleeves 24 and 26 arebifurcated as indicated at 28 and 29:. A lower jaw supporttll ispivotally mounted by pins 3! in the lower bifurcated ends of the sleeves24. The jaw support 36 is substantially U-shaped and includes a chinsupporting flange 32 and a padded rim 33;

Two lateral positioning pads 34 and 35 are mounted on short standards 35and 37 that are provided on the bar 3'8. The pads 34 and 35 carry screwthreaded stems 38 and 39', the stems being threaded in the standards 36and 3'! and rotatably mounted by means of ahead 40 and. a cap M to thebacks of the pads. Knurled. finger pieces 42 are provided on the stems38 and 39. The bar 30 is free to swing up and down but when it is raisedit fits in the bifurcations 29 of the sleeves 25 which form stops tolimit the upward swinging movement of the bar 30.

It is believed to be evident from the foregoing description and thedrawings that thedevice just described can be fitted solidly on a humanface by means of the pads I0 and I l and the nose straps, I2 and I3 andthat the bar 30 can be raised and lowered to proper position withrespect to the chin. It is necessary, however, to provide means forspacing the jaws apart a proper distance to get the natural facialexpression. This can only be done by placing something in the mouthwhich can be adjusted until the proper spacing of the jaws fortherightex 3 r pression. Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the device which may beplaced in the mouth for this purpose. This device comprises an upper pad44 and a lower pad 45, the two pads being connected together by threadedstems 46, 41 and 4B. These threaded stems are threaded by right-handthreads and left-hand threads into the pads 44 and 45 and have narrowfinger pieces such as 49 so that they may be turned to bring the'pads 44and 45 into proper position with respect to each other to give thedesired spread of the jaws when they are held between the jaws by thepatient.

When the proper facial expression has been obtained by the use of of thedevice shown in Figures 6 and 7 the appliance illustrated in Figures 1to inclusive is then placed on the patients face and adjusted firmly bymeans of the nose straps l2 and [3. The sleeves 24 are adjusted on thelegs 22 to raise the bar 30 to the proper level. The bar 30 is thenpressed up firmly against the chin of the patient with the set screws 21loosened to allow the sleeves 26 to slide on the legs 23. When the bar30 has been properly positioned the set screws 21 are tightened to lockthe sleeves 26 in place. The pads 34 and 35 are also laterally adjustedto engage the sides of the face for lateral positioning of the lowerjaw. The device shown in Figures 6 and loan then be removed from thepatients mouth by letting the bar 30 swing down as illustrated in dottedlines in Figure 2. The actual jaw impression may be taken by insertingthe impression wax or moldable material inthe mouth of the patient andraising the lower jaw by meansof the bar 30 until the bar 30 seats inthe bifurcations 29 of the sleeves 26 and indicates that the jaws havebeen closed to their former position.

In Figures 8 and 9 a different form of padis shown for use in makingpartial dentures. This construction may also be applied to a full sizepad like that shown in Figures 6 and 7. The pad comprises twotelescoping shells 50 and 5| and a middle bar 52. The shells may be madeas deep as necessary and a set of these devices may be provided for useby a dentist if desired. The shells have studs 53 and 54 securedthereon. These studs are screw threaded to receive right hand and lefthand threaded stems 55 and 56 on 2 an adjusting member 51. The shellsand 5| are cut out as indicated at 58 and 59 for access to the member51. For a short pad only one of the members 51 is needed. However, onlonger pads as many are used as will be necessary.

going description and the drawings that with this appliance there is noguess work in the positioning of the jaws at the time of taking theimpression for the dental plates. The device does not interfere with theopening and closing of the mouth for taking the impressions and itadapts itself readily to a great variety of facial contours.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A dental applianceadapted for use in the taking of impressions forartificial dentures comprising in combination a pair of cheek engagingclamps, said clamps having narrow straplike portions projectingforwardly and inwardly and overlapped with each other to extend acrossthe face of a patient between the clamps, a lower jaw support suspendedfrom the clamps and swingable up and down, and adjustable stop memberscarried by the clamps, said stop members being spaced from the point ofsuspension of the support and positioned in the path of movement-of saidsupport.

V extend across the face of a patient between the clamps, a lower jawsupport suspended from the clamps and swingable up and down, andadjustable stop members carried by the clamps, said stop members beingspaced from the point of suspension of the support and positioned in thepath of movement of said support, said support having adjustable pads atthe sides thereof movable toward and away from each other for lateralpositioning of the lower jaw of the patient.

3. A dental appliance adapted for use in the taking of impressions forartificial dentures comprising in combinations a pair of check engagingclamps, means connecting said clamps curved to extend across the face ofa patient between the clamps, a lower-jaw support comprising a U- shapedbar provided with a chin supporting flange at its mid-portion and havingits ends pivotally suspended from the clamps and swingable up and down,and adjustable stop members carried by the clamps in the path ofmovement of said support.

4. A dental appliance adapted for use in the taking of impressions forartificial dentures comprising in combination a pair of check engagingclamps, meansconnecting said clamps curved to extend across the face ofa patient between the clamps, a lower jaw support comprising a U- shapedbar provided with a chin supporting flange at its mid-portion and havingits end pivotally suspended from the clamps and swingable up and down,adjustable stop members mounted on the clamps and positioned forwardlyof the pivots of said bar and providing positive stops in the path ofmovement of said support, and upstanding jaw positioning members on theopposite sides of said bar for preventing lateral movement of thepatients lower jaw on the support.

. 5. A dental appliance adapted for use in the taking of impressions forartificial dentures comprising in combination a pair of cheek engagingclamps, means connecting said clamps curved to extend across the face ofa patient between the clamps, a lower jaw support comprising a U-shapedbar provided with a chin supporting flange at its mid-portion and havingits ends pivotally suspended from the clamps and swingable up and downand adjustable stop members carried by the clamps in the path ofmovement of It is believed to be apparent from the foresaid support,said adjustable stop members comprising bars extending forwardly anddownwardly from the clamps, and members telescoping therewith bifurcatedto receive the said U-shaped bar at their lower ends and means to securethe telescoping members in fixed position on said forwardly anddownwardly extending bars.

- RUTH E. WOLFORD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

